AGRICULTURAL RELIEF

295

survive or maintain ourselves; that we would weaken in organization,

for the fee of itself stimulates the production of whatever commodity

we may be under and stimulates the organization——

Mr. ANpRESEN. You do not mean the fee stimulates production;
you mean the fee curtails production?

Mr. CrowpER. I mean to say that the fee would stimulate the
organization; that is what I thought I said.

Mr. KinceeLoE. How many people in your organization—I will
ask you first, which is the largest organization membership that you
represent in your State?

Mr. Crowbar. Well, nro! ~7it:
in cooperative organiz-

Mr. KincueLoe. W™
about?

Mr. CrowpER. think around 6,000.

Mr. KiNcHELOE. if course, several of your farmers belong to
various organizations you represent here?

Mr. CrowpER. Yes, sir; a great number of different organizations.

Mr. KixcrELoE. How many members of one Farm Bureau?

Mr. Crowper. There are 5,000 members of the Farm Bureau in
South Dakota.

Mr. Kixceenor How many
approximately?

Mr. Crowper. I am not able to state.

Mr. KixcHELOE. You do not know what per cent of the farmers
are in at least one of your organizations?

Mr. Crowder. Yes; I would say our oreanizations in general
represent more than the farmers, we have collectively.

Mr. KixcHELOE. Because they are in more than one organization?

Mr. CrowpEer. Because they are in more than one organization.

Mr. KixcrELOE. The reason I ask that is I want to inquire, have
you had meetings of the personnel of your organizations that know
about these measures that are pending before Congress, and have you
had discussions with the individual farmers about this legislation?

Mr. CrowbEer. Yes, sir; we have, to a certain extent.

Mr. KivcHELOE. Now, to what extent?

Mr. Crowper. Well, to the extent of these verious organizations
and personnel, with their own private people a» - ich the Agri-
cultural Chamber of Commerce which met on the 13uh of January
in our State.

Mr. KincHELOE. The reason I was asking that is because it is
very easy for some representative of any concern, not only farmers
but anybody else, to say “I represent a hundred thousand or so
many people,” and maybe those hundred thousand people do not
know anything on earth about what he has come here for. I was just
wandering if the personnel of your organizations, those farmers ‘who
belong to the various organizations, have had an opportunity to
discuss this matter and come to an intellicent conclusion and know
what is in these bills.

Mr. CrowpEr. They have very much, I would say, through the
various organizations, and I am sorry I am here in the condition I am
without any resolutions from these various organizations. 1 should
have had them.
R6160—28—SER E. PT 3—